Acoustic luminaires in the office
Workplace Lighting

Workplace and VDU lights for offices

Millions of people spend a large part of their lives in an office, whether that is in a workplace or at home. Without adequate lighting, workers can suffer from eyestrain, fatigue, eye discomfort and headaches. However, with the correct lighting, workers will feel motivated, and productive and have a sense of well-being.

Office and workplace lighting

Lighting concepts for offices

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Features of good office lighting include:

  • ILLUMINANCE

  • LIGHT DISTRIBUTION

  • CORRECT LIGHT COLOUR

  • EXCELLENT COLOUR RENDERING

  • LIGHT DIRECTION

Our FAQs

Frequently asked questions about workplace lighting

Are there any legal regulations or regulations for workplace lighting?

How many lumens should workplace lighting have?

Are there lights that are suitable for winter or dark environments?

Is there a rule of thumb to follow?

Legal regulations

The UK Health & Safety at Work Act of 1974 states that an employer has to ensure the health & safety of employees. The Act also includes a duty to provide adequate lighting to ensure work is undertaken safely. It also states that an employee's eyesight or health mustn't be jeopardised. Regulation no.8 of the Workplace Regulations Act 1992 specifically states that employers must ensure:

  • Every workplace should have suitable & sufficient lighting

  • This should be natural light, where possible

  • Emergency lighting should be provided where needed

Office floor lamp silver

For complete guidance on legislation around the amount of light needed in UK workplaces within the UK, please visit the Health and Safety Executive in HSG 38: Lighting at Work website to download the full regulations.

Technical Aspects

Light colour and colour rendering

Different light sources differ in the presence or absence of spectral colours (colour rendering) and the intensity of the spectral colours that make up the light (light colour).

Representation of light colour

Light colour / colour temperature

The light colour or colour temperature is measured in Kelvin (K) and describes the individual inherent colour of white light, generally perceived as "cool" or "warm". The specification of the light colour in Kelvin should not be confused with colour-changing lighting technologies (RGB), in which light can shine in red, green or blue. A rough distinction between the three light colours is:

  • Warm white (<3,300 Kelvin) = cosy light for living spaces

  • Universal white (3,300 - 5,300 Kelvin) = light for working

  • Daylight (> 5,300 Kelvin) = bluish light for basement and utility rooms

Colour rendering / CRI

The colour rendering index (CRI) indicates how natural the colours of an object appear when a light is switched on.

A CRI of Ra 100 means that colours are reproduced as they would be in daylight. Ra >= 90 indicates very good, Ra >= 80 good colour rendering. Bulbs below Ra 80 are not recommended for living spaces, as colours can be distorted or rendered greyish.

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Lighting Examples

Individual workstations, groups of desks and open-plan offices

A good ratio of indirect and directed light ensures that lighting conditions are as comfortable as possible for the eyes and removes shadows. Several lights are necessary to accomplish this, for example, an LED panel for large-area room lighting and a desk lamp for support. Some lights, such as uplighters, can also produce both types of light: an indirect light that shines towards the ceiling and direct light that illuminates the workspace.

Silver pendant light in meeting room

An alternative to the office floor lamp can be pendant lights. Diffusers or grids, are entirely glare-free and visually break up the light in the room.

Floor lamp silver

A regularly used home office deserves the same lighting conditions as a company office and can be adjusted to your individual needs.

Desk lamps black

A space-saving alternative to the floor lamp is the desk lamp. However, attention must be paid to light colour and colour rendering with desk lamps.

Other top functions for office lights

Floor lamp daylight sensor
HCL / daylight sensor

Increase the quality of work and relaxation in the office with automatic colour temperature changes.

Acoustic pendant light white
Acoustic insulation

Covering the screen with felt helps with sound absorption, which is ideal in an open-plan customer service office.

Floor lamp-motion sensor
Motion sensor

Economical use of light adds comfort for employees due to precise presence detectors.

Smart pendant light in meeting room
Smart lighting

Bluetooth and group/swarm control allow you to choose the temperature, reduce noise level and improve air quality.

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